1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of greeting cards. More specifically, the present invention discloses a system for creating a database of greeting card designs that then can be customized or personalized and manufactured through printing systems in response to electronically transmitted orders.
2. Statement of the Problem
Greeting cards or social expression cards have traditionally been manufactured in large quantities by various manufacturers at locations remote from the point of purchase or retail outlet. Social expression cards include greeting cards, invitations, announcements, and the like and are referred to herein as "greeting cards" or "social expression" cards. After manufacture, the cards are shipped, either directly or through wholesale distributors, to a variety of retail outlets, such as specialty card shops, drug stores, grocery stores, and the like where they are displayed and sold to retail customers.
One of the most significant problems associated with current methods of manufacturing greeting cards is the very large amount of inventory needed at the point of sale, and the space required to properly display the inventory of greeting cards. For example, most greeting cards are displayed on card racks that group the cards into a number of categories, or fields, to assist a customer in locating the type of card desired. Typically, a large display rack is needed to expose a sufficient portion of the face of each card to allow easy visual scanning by the customer of the various cards available in a particular category or field.
A number of systems have been invented in the past to provide on-site manufacture or customization of social expression cards and the like, including the following:
______________________________________ Inventor Patent No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Cannon 5,056,029 Oct. 8, 1991 Buckley, et al. 5,036,472 July 30, 1991 Montagna, et al. 4,899,292 Feb. 6, 1990 Powell, et al. 4,873,643 Oct. 10, 1989 Brown 4,817,043 Mar. 28, 1989 Ciarlo 3,949,375 Apr. 6, 1976 ______________________________________ "CreataCard" system introduced by Custom Expressions, Inc., Glendale, California, in May, 1990.
Cannon discloses a system for manufacturing and vending social expression cards that queries the customer to input a series of special occasion parameters to select a card from a database of available card designs.
The "CreataCard" system was introduced by Custom Expressions, Inc. in May, 1990. This system is an on-site unit that guides customers through a series of card selections on a touch-sensitive display screen. After choosing the desired style of card, the customer enters information to personalize the card, such as names, dates, ages, messages, etc. It is believed that the card information is stored in vector graphic format since the card is drawn line-by-line using an eight-color pen plotter.
Buckley, et al., disclose a computer controlled machine for vending personalized greeting cards and the like. The unit provides audio and video presentations of the products and options available to the customer. Base products such as pre-printed forms are stored within the unit for transfer by a robotic arm to a printer for customization.
Brown discloses an information kiosk with a video display that provides instructions and information to users. The user enters choices on a keypad input device. The kiosk can also provide textual or graphic printed information.
Powell, et al., disclose an interactive design terminal for custom imprinted articles, such as T-shirts and the like. A memory stores a library of available design elements and a set of design rules for combination of the design elements in accordance with selections made by the operator.
Ciarlo discloses a computer system for readily dispensing information, such as information on travel, entertainment, accommodations and the like.
Montagna, et al., disclose a system for storing and retrieving text and associated graphics. Graphic images are stored in compressed digital format. Graphic images can be tied into specific points in a menu structure as shown in FIG. 3.
There are also a number of commercially available software programs that allow personal computer systems to print greeting cards. For example, "Card Shop" by Artsci, Inc. allows Macintosh computer users to select from a menu of fifty greeting cards covering a variety of occasions. "Greeting Card Maker" by Artivision, Inc. allows Apple computer users to print cards, invitations, and announcements. Also, "The Print Shop" by Broderbund, Inc., "Announcements for Windows" by Parsons Technology, Inc. and "Studio of Greetings!" by Eqyx, Inc. allow IBM-PC users to create and print greeting cards.
In addition to these references, a wide variety desktop publishing software, e.g. Aldus Pagemaker and QuarkXPress, has long been commercially available for conventional personal computers. Desktop publishing systems allow a trained user to create virtually any type of custom publications, primarily such as newsletters and brochures. However, it is possible to create custom greeting cards, invitations, business cards and the like using a desktop publishing system.
A number of broadcast and cable television systems have also been invented in the past which allow consumers to view products, such as greeting cards, on a television set and place orders for products, including the following:
______________________________________ Inventor Patent No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Bradley, et al. 5,172,413 Dec. 15, 1992 Maki 5,124,980 Jun. 23, 1992 Hoarty, et al. 5,093,718 Mar. 3, 1992 Johnson, et al. 5,077,607 Dec. 31, 1991 Baji, et al. 5,027,400 Jun. 25, 1991 Gorog 4,947,028 Aug. 7, 1990 Von Kohorn 4,876,592 Oct. 24, 1989 Martinez 4,750,036 Jun. 7, 1988 ______________________________________ "TV Answer" system from TV Answer, Inc., (1941 Roland Clarke Place, Reston, Virginia 22091) to begin operations in 1993.
Bradley, et al., disclose a pay TV system which allows a user to authorize the purchase of advertised goods by entering personal identification numbers.
Maki discloses a network or cable television system which allows two-way data and voice telephone communication services between a central head end facility linked to an off-site switched telephone network and a plurality of remote subscriber stations.
Hoarty, et al., disclose an interactive cable television system which is able to rapidly display photographic quality images on a home TV set in response to commands transmitted by a home user using a remote control input device.
Johnson, et al., disclose a interactive cable television transaction terminal comprising a keyboard used for entry of information and a screen generator for creating visual displays of selection items or completion fields.
Baji, et al., disclose a multimedia bidirectional television broadcast system which allows users to select and display product information and then order a product.
Gorog discloses an automated order and payment system which allows users to enter product order information by optically scanning codes in printed media or displayed on a television set. Also disclosed is the entry of voice orders via a voice recognition means.
Von Kohorn discloses a system which allows TV program viewers to respond to information in such programs by making an entry on a keyboard.
Martinez discloses an interactive television and data transmission system.
A major limitation of all systems which provide on-site manufacture and/or personalization of social expression cards is the cost of the apparatus which must be placed at each site, whether a retail site or other site, such as a residence. The number of retail sites which can achieve sales levels which justify the placement of such apparatus is limited to a small percentage of all retail sites. Further, such apparatus does not address other problems faced by retail sites having such apparatus and greeting card purchasers using such apparatus at retail sites. For example, because users of such apparatus typically do not know in advance the personalized text they wish to input, a considerable period of time is required for each customer to compose and enter their personalized text. Since the apparatus can be used by only one person at a time or in the case of a multi-user system, only a few people at a time, many potential users do not wait to use the system if it is already in use. This limits the average daily revenue generated by the apparatus.
Also, greeting card purchasers must normally remember to purchase cards and mail or otherwise deliver them before specific dates. It is not unusual that someone forgets to purchase a card before a particular date or having purchased a card forgets to mail or deliver it on time. Another problem which card purchasers face is not remembering what card designs they have previously sent someone and, therefore, being concerned about sending duplicates of cards previously sent.
3. Solution to the Problem
None of the prior art references uncovered in the search show a system, as in the present invention, for displaying, ordering, and printing social expression cards in which card images are stored as a set of display images in a format to facilitate rapid display on a color monitor or television set, and as a corresponding set of print images in a format to rapidly produce high resolution printed cards. In addition, the system includes a card description database that defines each card in terms of its component images, text, and fields for personalization. Also, none of the prior art references show: (1) a system for printing social expression cards in which cards are printed at one or more sites in response to orders for individual cards placed by consumers at a number of remote sites, including retail and residential locations, where order information is transmitted to the card printing site through fax modems, other modems, or other telecommunications means and after processing is stored in an order information database with a unique card order code identifying each order received; (2) a system for printing card sender and receiver names and addresses on card mailing envelopes where addresses are retrieved from an order information database created from data received through a fax modem or other modem or other telecommunication means; and (3) a system where card order information is transmitted by telecommunication or other means to a card printing facility where individual Personalized cards are printed in response to this order information.